Review: Carol's Comfort Cuisine in Easton leaves you feeling well-fed and at home

The restaurant, which will hold a grand opening Saturday, serves comfort foods such as chili and bacon, and crab mac 'n cheese.

The restaurant, which will hold a grand opening Saturday, serves comfort foods such as chili and bacon, and crab mac 'n cheese.

Andromeda L. WeissmanSpecial to The Morning Call

It's not just the food that's full of comfort at Carol's Comfort Cuisine in Easton.

It's not just the food that's full of comfort at Carol's Comfort Cuisine in Easton.

From the moment you step through the doors of the Northampton Street restaurant, owner Carol Broughton welcomes you as if you were coming into her home.

Broughton has a friendly presence, and seems as interested in getting to know her customers as she is in providing them an enjoyable dining experience — even assuring younger customers it's OK not to eat their vegetables this one time.

The restaurant, which opened in March in the former home of Ginny's Bistro & Wine Bar, offers brunch until 3 p.m. and a selection of home-style cooking after that. The food is the work of executive chef Peter Choida, who came from Ginny's and sometimes lends a hand with service to keep things running smoothly.

Brunch items include a French toast made with brioche, 10-inch pancakes, and grilled cheese and tomato soup. The dinner menu includes entrees such as cheddar grits with shrimp, vegetable flatbread and chili. Recent specials included sauteed cod and chorizo over a rice and bean pilaf, and meatballs in a mushroom gravy over rice. A friend of mine strongly recommends the homemade lemonade, which Broughton will sweeten to taste.

The restaurant, which will hold a grand opening Saturday, serves comfort foods such as chili and bacon, and crab mac 'n cheese. (HARRY FISHER / THE MORNING CALL)

Setting: The decor at Carol's speaks of comfort as well. The walls are painted in warm pumpkin complemented by a buttery marigold ceiling. Paintings by local artists hang on the wall. Dark wood tables and chairs provide room for diners, and a piano in one corner promises live music, which Broughton says she aims to have weekly. (Sometimes she joins in on vocals, according to the restaurant's Facebook page.)

Entrees: We sampled most of the dinner options, starting with the fried chicken ($13) featuring a meaty leg and thigh. The chicken was coated in a light, seasoned breading with just the right crispness; the meat was moist and tender. The butterflied shrimp ($15) was dipped in a similarly seasoned breading, and likewise was delicately fried. Neither the shrimp nor the chicken were greasy. The shrimp also came with two dipping sauces — a garlicky ranch-style dip and my favorite, a cocktail sauce with a bit of Tabasco heat. One of my companions ordered the baked meatloaf ($13), topped with a tangy tomato sauce. The loaf was well-cooked, with celery and a hint of garlic. The meatloaf and chicken both came with squares of sweet, crumbly cornbread and a side of buttery carrots, cooked to that perfect spot between crisp and tender. The shrimp came on a bed of sweet potatoes, sliced thin and gently fried.

Appetizers and sides: The nachos grande ($8) were a favorite of our group. The crispy tortilla chips were topped with melted cheese, sliced olives and chunks of chorizo, and dusted with a taco seasoning. I also ordered the baked potato ($6), loaded with cheddar, chives and generous pieces of bacon, and cooked to a warm, mealy texture. One of my companions asked for a side of mac and cheese with his entree, and received a sizable portion of penne baked in thickly melted cheddar and generously peppered.

Desserts: Again, we had the chance to sample most of the desserts — and each item came with three spoons to make sure we could share. The cheesecake of the day ($8) was a cherry vanilla, with a sweet, rich filling over a crumbly graham cracker crust, and drizzled with chocolate. We also tried the bread pudding ($7), a dense, custardy square packed with raisins. The pudding was served with a thick, tangy cream-cheese sauce sprinkled with cinnamon that put me in mind of a cinnamon roll. Complementing these two desserts was a refreshing peach ice cream ($5), made Philadelphia-style and ripe with fruity flavor.

Service: Broughton welcomed us in right away and made us feel at home. She chatted with us amiably, and made sure our table was stocked with everything we needed. The food arrived in good time, and was definitely comforting.

The bottom line: It's easy to relax and feel at home at Carol's Comfort Cuisine. It's a warm and friendly place to go with the kids or a group of friends. Dinner for three cost $85.86 with tax.

Andromeda L. Weissman is a freelance restaurant reviewer for Go Guide. Weissman attempts to remain anonymous during restaurant visits. All meals are paid for by The Morning Call. Restaurant reviews now run Wednesdays and Thursdays.